Aerodyne having wings movable in circular translation



Febc 7, E95@ JEAN-P1ERRE DRAPIER 2,496,385

AERODYNES HAVNG WINGS MOVABLE IN CIRCULAR TRANSLATION Feb. 7, 1950 JEAN-PIERRE DRAPIER 2,495,385

AERODYNES HAVING WINGS MOVABLE IN CIRCULAR TRANSLATION Filed NOV. 2l, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 2l, 1945 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 7 i950 AHama-:DIERRE DRAPIER 2,496,385

AERoDYNEs HAVING WINGS MovABLE IN CIRCULAR TRANSLATION Patented Feb. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AERODYNE HAVING WINGS MOVABLE IN CKRCULAR TRANSLATION Jean Pierre Drapier, Lyon, France Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires November 7, 1964 '7 Claims.

This invention relates to aerodynes provided with movable wings having sufficient lift even at low horizontal speeds; and among such machines, the invention relates more particularly to those the wings of which are movable in circular translation.

The resistance offered by a fluid in rectilinear relative motion to the displacement of a surface movable within said fluid with a periodical movement may be reduced to friction alone; it is suicient in order to obtain such a result that the movable surface be at all times positioned in the direction according to that resulting from the composition of the velocity of the fluid and of that of the moving surface. To satisfy such conditions, as has been established by the previous works of M. Louis Kahn (see in particular German Patent 615,152) it is suiiicient that two points of the movable surface be subjected to the same periodical motion, but with a difference of phase and along two distinct paths, the path of the point which is relatively lagged in phase resulting from the other path by a translation parallel to the direction of relative motion of the surrounding uid. The amplitude of that translation depends on the velocity of said last mentioned motion.

Up to date, the practical embodiment of the above principle has been capable of being completely achieved only on propellers, having a fixed or an adjustable pitch when the direction of rel-- ative ow of the fluid is parallel to the axis of rotation of the propeller. In all other instances, it has been necessary to remain content with approximate solutions because the complete application of the principle disclosed above would lead to the use of deformable and expansible surfaces the construction of which may not be contemplated in the present state of the art. There are therefore employed rigid surfaces having a certain analogy with adjustable pitch propeller blades; said rigid surfaces are capable of pivoting and their angle of incidence is periodically variable to approach as nearly as possible to the above stated conditions.

On such lines, there have been in particular suggested:

(a) Rotating wing machines wherein the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the leading edge of the rotating wing. This method is that adopted in helicopters wherein the lifting propeller or propellers or both the lifting and propulsive propellers have blades the pitch of which is cyclically adjustable. In machines of this type, if the speed of `rotation of the rotating wings is assumed to be constant, the amplitude of the cyclical variations of the angle of incidence for each rotation, when recoiling in relative wind, varies in ratio of the speed of said relative wind and, consequently, of the speed of aircraft horizontal displacement. It follows that, in order to avoid to considerable cyclical pivoting, the speed of rotation of the rotor must vary in the same sense as the speed of longitudinal displacement of the aircraft, which constitutes a very serious drawback. This speed of longitudinal displacement is therefore necessarily limited and could not possibly attain that of airplanes with fixed wings.

(b) Aerodynes having wings movable in circular translation wherein the axis of said translation is parallel to the leading edge of the movable wing. Such an arrangement of wings is related to that of napping wings or of paddle wheels; it does not present the above stated drawback inasmuch as, assuming the speed of circular translation to be constant, the amplitude of the cyclical variations of the angle of incidence decreases when the speed of horizontal displacement of the aerodyne increases and thus, in this last mentioned case, the speed of circular translation may be reduced and even annulled. Consequently, such wing structures may be stopped during cruising night, and the motion of said wing structure may be only used at the start or at landing. Unfortunately, this important theoretical advantage is of no utility, owing to the fact that it is impossible, in the present state of the art, to carry out such arrangements in aircraft construction; they have only been applicable in certain ship propellers (Voight-Schneider)- where they have given the expected results.

The present invention has for its main object to provide the construction of aerodynes having a wing structure movable in circular translation, by the use of means well known in the art of rotating wing machine construction While preserving the theoretical advantage which has been defined above, that is to say to reduce the resistance oiered by the uid to said movable wings to fric tion alone.

Another object of the invention is to provide an aerodyne of the character described wherein the wing structure is movable in continuous circular rotation the plane of which is nearly parallel to the direction of the longitudinal axis of said aerodyne, said rotation being so that the leading edges of the wing elements move parallel to themselves whitle at all times maintaining the correct angle of incidence with respect to the airow.

Another object of the invention is to provide an aerodyne of the character described wherein the circular translation of the wing structure mab7 be free. Such an aerodyne belongs to that kind of autogyros since a relative displacement is necessary to set the wing structure in motion. This relative longitudinal displacement may be provided either by the slipstream of an airscrew placed in front of the Wing structure when the aerodyne is stationary or by the relative wind during flight.

Likewise the propulsion of the aerodyne and/or the self-rotation in slow flight or when the aerodyne is stationary may be produced either by reaction utilizing jets or by escape of gas under pressure from the trailing edge of rotating wings.

Another object of the invention is to provide an aerodyne of the character described wherein the wing structure is composed of several elements pivoted at their center on a rotatable frame, and kinematically connected to a xed element of the aerodyne so as to be capable of pivoting with respect to that frame in a direction opposite to the rotation of said frame and at the same speed thereto, so that the positioning of their leading edge always remains the same during rotation of the frame.

The invention has for another object to provide an aerodyne of the character described wherein preferably two similar wing structures such as those dened above are used, the rotatable frame thereof being preferably driven in opposite direction.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an aerodyne of the character described with tractor propellers disposed in front of each of its wing structures, said propellers being offset with respect to the axial plane of each of the rotating systems in such a way that the slipstream of the propellers will make itself more particularly felt in the wing element areas having a high angle of incidence.

The accompanying drawing represents by way of example only and in a highly diagrammatical form, a form of embodiment of an aerodyne of the invention:

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an aerodyne according to the invention.

-Figs.3 and 4 show diagrammatically mechanical systems allowing the planes to remain parallel to each other.

Fig. shows diagrammatically the transmission for controlling the wing structure.

In the diagram of Fig. l is shown a wing structure I driven in circular rotation about the axis 2; this wing has been shown in various positions along the circular locus 3 of its axis of rotation '4 on the arm 5 shown in dotted lines which connects it to the axis 2. The circular displacement of said wing structure is obtained by composition of the rotation of the arm 5 about the axis 2 with the rotation of the wing I upon the arm 5 about the axis 4, so that the leading edge of the wing I at all time remains parallel to itself. The direction of rotation of the arm 5 is indicated by the arrow 6 and the direction of displacement in the atmosphere by the arrow 1.

When the wing is displaced along the semicircle A-M-B, it is clear that the component of its circular velocity parallel to the direction 'I should be added to the rectilineal velocity of the aerodyne in the same direction 1 to produce the relative wind velocity W directed in reverse direction. While the wing moves along the complementary semi-circle not shown, it is clear that the component of the circular velocity parallel to the direction 'I, should be subtracted from the rectilineal velocity of the aerodyne in the same direction 1.

For further purposes of illustration, the conditions selected are those corresponding to the particular instance wherein the speed of rotation in the direction 6 is such that the peripheral velocity will be equal to the rectilineal velocity in the direction I, It then follows that at the point M, the relative wind velocity with respect to the wing I, is twice as great as that of the aerodyne through the air, while at the point symmetrical to M in respect to axis 2, said relative wind velocity is zero. If the speed of rotation was greater than above, it would therefore occur that the relative wind velocity would become reversed during the complementary semi-circle to the semi-circle A-M--B.

The vertical component of the speed of the aerodyne being .assumed to remain the same, it will then be seen that positioning of the Wing I, which is movable about an axis parallel to its leading edge, should be subjected to periodical alterations during the circular displacement in order that the resistances offered to that movement are reduced to friction alone. In that respect it is obviously necessary that said Wing should be positioned parallel to the air flow resultant of the relative wind and of the speed vertical component. Such composition has been elfected in Fig. l in the following way. The consecutive positions of point 4 have been projected on line P-P, and a line Q-Q is spaced from the preceding one by a quantity corresponding to the constant lift speed, there have been carried the consecutive values of the speed component corresponding to the relative wind. As disclosed, this component results from the addition of a constant vector corresponding to the rate of diS- placement of the aerodyne in the direction 'I and of a variable vector representing the circular velocity component parallel to said direction 'I. In order to easily obtain this last mentioned component, a circle 8 is drawn of a radius equal to the vector corresponding to the circular velocity, assumed to be equal to that in the direction l, the sines of the various location angles of the wing in respect to the line 2-A, such as the vector e-f for the location 4a, obviously give the desired component.

Considering for example the point 4a, said point is projected at 4b on line P-P and in 4c on line Q-Q. The distance Ilar- 4d is equal to the sum of the velocity vector according to I (vector 4C-4D corresponding to the location 4A for which the sine is null) and of the vector e-f corresponding to the circular component at point 4a. The straight line 4d-4b indicates the angular setting of the wing I at that instant.

The diagram P-P-Q--Q is applicable during the period Where the wing travels along the semicircle A-M-B. The diagram P--P-QQ' is applicable while the wing is travelling through the complementary semi-circle. It is seen that, for the point symmetrical to M, the wing is nearly perpendicular to the direction of flight 'I of the aerodyne. For other speed ratios particularly if the wing, when recoiling in relative wind, pass through locations for which its own speed is lower than the relative wind speed, as well known for autogyros, the leading edge of the wing I could be turned back.

It is clear that the angle of rotation of the wing I about the axis parallel to' its leading-'edge decreases as the velocity of displacement in the direction of arrow `I increases with respect to the speed of vcircular displacement. Consequently, as previously described, such a disposition has the advantage that circular displacement could be reduced and even suppressed during cruising flight and only provided at starting or landing, as will be explained hereinafter.

An aerodyne according to the invention will of course comprise several wings in circular displacement about the same axis 2; there may be any number of such wings, but there will at least be two, so as to achieve both static and dynamic balance of the circularly displaced elements. Moreover, it is possible to provide several devices of this type, for example two, circular displacements then being preferably made in opposite directions so as to balance the gyroscopic effect.

`Fig. 2 represents by way of example only an aerodyne having a single fuselage I 6 on either side of which are symmetrically disposed two wing structures of the above described type. Each of those structures comprises three distinct planes, such as I6, II, I2 which are supported by a frame I3, having arms 29, rotating about the axis It connected by a sectional spar Ifwto the fuselage I E. A suitable kinematic system, whereof one example will be described hereinafter provides foreach plane I0, II and I2 to rotate about their respective axes II`-I8 and I9 with respect to the frame I3, through an angle at all times equal and oppositely directed with respect to the angle of rotation of the frame I3 relative to the fuselage I6. In such conditions,-it is apparent that the planes at all times remain in a position such that their leading edges remain parallel to their initial position. lt should be observed that l it is not necessary for those leading edges to be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage; on the contrary, it is quite conceivable that those leading edges could form with said axis an angle different from a right angle. On the other hand, each plane Iii-I I and I2 is oyclically movable about its respective axis 2li-2| and 22 parallel to the leading edge, so as to provide for periodical variations of the angle of incidence, as previously described, in connection with Fig. 1.

In this example, there have been represented at 23 and 24 tractor propellers arranged in front of the movable wing structure. The axes 25 and 26 of those propellers are disposed in such a way that the relative wind caused in stationary condition of the aerodyne by rotation of those propel- 1ers 23 and 24 will only act upon the planes IiI-I I-I 2 having the greatest angle of incidence in order to facilitate setting said planes in self rotation.

The reason for this is as follows: The relative wind may in the {,rst place be generated by the displacement of the air with respect to the aerodyne itself remaining stationary, said displacement being generated, preferably, by tractor or pusher propellers. Such is the case of vertical take oi or landing. Saidv relative wind may be generated by displacement of the aerodyne through still air which is the case of normal flight. The use of tractor propellers in front of wing structures has for object to generate arelative Wind with a vieu7 to obtain at once the starting of the rotors at landing or in night, the adequate lift for vertical taking-off, an effect of highlift by yawing movement of the wing surfaces for little speeds of the relative wind, and a decreasing of the draggenerated by an oblique incidence;l

The relative wind may nearly be distributed over one half of the rotor.

The speed of rotation'iyill be dependent on the difference ofdrag between the various planes. As regards the planes passing through the lateral sectors, it should however be observed that, whatever their relative angle of incidence, the relative wind attacks those planes laterally sliding with respect to said wind, whereby yawing or relative sliding of the planes is pratically achieved, said actions providing an elect of hypersustentation, as is well known. Such hypersustentation effect will allow of reducing the areas of the rotating planes, and also that of the surfaces swept during the rotation.

Variation at will of the angle of incidence of the planes provides on one hand the possibility of setting in rotation or of stopping the rotor and onthe lother hand, of controlling the longitudinal balance and the transverse balance of the rotor. When the rotor is set into motion, there is generated a swept surface 60 comparable to that of an autogyro although it is different from the latter. Said swept surface which may be referred to as the virtual .surface has a lift coefIcient which is dependent on the characteristics and the number of planes constituting the rotor but also and more particularly so on the speed of rotation. The shape of-said swept surface 5D further presents a characteristic of high aerodynamic quality in that it is approximately elliptical and offering a lense shaped non swept empty area 6I of which the size depends on the breadth of the rotating planes and the length of the arms of the rotor.

This machine .will thus be capable of operating as .an adjustable lifting surface airplane, the smallest Surface being that of the stationary rotors and the greatest that corresponding to the highest speed of rotation of said rotors.

It will be further noted that the relative wind may have an angle of incidence as high as -with respect to the rotors, as corresponding to a vertical descent of the machine with the rotors in self rotation. There is thus ensured in the various cases of iiight, the impossibility of a loss Iof dying speed or stall under any angle of flight whatever.

For oper-ation by self rotation in such condition the aircraft makes use of active power to generate relative wind.

Said relative wind may be produced by a propeller placed in front or behind the rotating planes or by a blower or by a turbo-compressor blowing into a nozzle generating a relative wind directed towards the leading edge of the planes.

Likewise the propulsion of the aerodyne may be of the type called by reaction in which jets or like are utilized and directed backwardly and these jets or like may be disposed so that to produce a relative wind directed towards the leading edges, as previously described.

It may be possible to produce the rotation of the wings by escape of gas under pressure from the trailing edge of these elements.

'Self rotation, or more accurately, rotation controlled by the displaced air (acting as a power transmission agent) is more easily produced if the screw or screws are off set as Shown in Fig. 2.

The peripheral speed will tend to become equal to that of the'wind generated by the screw. It corresponds to an aircraft constructed for horizontal displacement and is therefore similar to an airplane. If that aircraft propelled by its screw moves through the air, the relative Wind effectl occurring in the case of an ordinary takey is' added thereto, and further provides the hypersustentation effects through yawing of the planes and facilitates take-olf under a large angle or even a vertical take-off, which then becomes only a question of suicient power output to determine sufficient speed of rotation of the rotating planes or rotors. The possible reversal of the angle of incidence of the planes (While maintaining the blowing action'of the screws) will generate a downward pressure effect exerted-pn the machine, which may advantageously be used at lan-ding to avoid rebound of the machine under the eiect of a gust of wind.

YThe rotation of the wing structure is determined by the drag of one wing element being greater from B to A (Fig. 2) than the drag of an opposite wing element from A to B because of the greater angle of incidence of the rst plane when displacing from B to A as previously explained with respect to the diagr-am But the increase in drag of that plane may also be obtained by means of flaps which may be disposed either as lower wind surface flaps or as upper wind surface naps or in both systems combined. Y Lastly there may be used flaps of the divingbrake type, as in Stukas i. e. solid or latticed at surfaces which are retracted in a horizontal plane in one sector and which in the opposite sector project from that plane in a vertical posi tion perpendicular to the relative wind. Such' movement of alternate projection and retraction at each turn may be controlled by cams, by levers and links or else may consist in a small auxiliary plane carried by an horizontal axis mounted on the rotor, the rotation of said axis bringing the auxiliary plane in vertical and horizontal position, such a retractable flap may be mounted on the plane or on the arm of the rotor.

By reason of the small thickness of the rotating plane, the variation of position of their centers of thrust will be very slight. The resultant of such variations, applied to the machine as a whole through the axis of the rotors will not be sensitive and will not disturb the longitudinal balance of the machine. It will be even compen sated for by the pull of the screws which, at that time, will be operating at full power.

Lateral stability of the machine may be ensured in the case of a single rotor by warping ailerons fixed on each side of the fuselage. In the case where two rotors are used such balance may be obtained by variations of the angle of in cidence of the rotating planes of the appropriate sectors 3. When small diameter rotors are used longitudinal balance can be controlled by a fixed plane 62 and an elevator frame 63. However, the principle of this rotating wing structure makes it possible to ensure control of longitudinalftransverse and directional balance by the use of one or more rotating wing structures alone. The balancing action (longitudinal and transverse) will be the more efcient as the arms of the rotors are increased, which also corresponds to a smaller speed of rotation in revolutions per minute, thus facilitating variations of the angle of incidence of the plane at each revolution and -avoiding the flutter effect which, in the case of very small rotors, could produce a vibrating condition.

The embodiment may comprise a stream-lined body supporting by means of stream-lined girders or towers situated on either side of the fuselage,

one or several identical and'symmetric'al rotors, whereof the axes are thus integrally connected tothe fuselage, or a stream-lined body supporting one rotor only secured adjacent to the center of gravity thereof.

In both cases, two tractor screws may be arranged in front of the rotors or `two pusher screws behind. The slipstream of the tractor screws on the rotors causes disturbance of the slipstream thereof, while the flow of air determined by the pusher screws will be considerably less disturbed; but, moreover, this latter disposition allows, at least in the case of light machines having a single rotor, of seating the pilot in front, thus providing him with a completely clear field of vision.

. In -all cases, it will be possible, in order to drive the pusher screws, either to adapt one engine for each of them or to mount within the fuselage a single engine distributing its power to the lateral screws through a mechanical power transmission. When using a single rotor, a iin adjustable in night or a compensated rudder will be employed rotaof which a secondary rotating shaft will supportv a plane through the medium of a horizontal shaft which allows to change the angle of incidence of the plane. Said secondary or vertical shaft of the planes are in turn connected by a simple mechanical device to the main shaft of the rotors in such a way that the horizontal shafts of the planes will at all times remain parallel to each other. The vertical shafts are thus driven in opposite direction to that of the rotor but at thel same speed. The two -armed rotor system does not create interaction between the planes but offers a dead center. The three armed system appears better adapted inasmuch as it suppresses this drawback.

The mechanic-al system allowing the planes to remain parallel to each other may comprise:

1. A fixed pinion 'I0 on the main shaft I4 of the rotor, pinions 1|, '|2 and 'I3 of equal size xed to the secondary vertical shafts |1, I8 and I9 carrying the planes l0, and l2 and chain drives i4, 15 and 16 connecting them (Figure 3).

2. A fixed bevel pinion 11 mounted on the main shaft |4 of the rotor, a bevel pinion IS of equal size mounted on each secondary vertical shaft and a horizontal (or even oblique) shaft 19 carrying the corresponding equal pinions 80 and 8| connecting mechanically said pinions '|'1 and 18 (Figure 4) 3. A star structure identical to the rotor and eccentered with respect to the rotor axis drives the secondary shaft by means of a crankshaft.

Another transmission system allows the pilot to control the variations of the angle of incidence of the planes at all times. The mechanical system is designed to avoid the effect as. illustrated in Fig. 5 of centrifugal force. To this effect, the rods, links or cables are replaced by swingable levers 36, 36a fulcrumed at the center point 31, 31a of the arms 29 for example or at any other point if it is wished to amplify or reduce the motion transmitted. The shaft of the rotor, not shown, is for example recessed and traversed by parallel connecting rods 3E, 30a, the displacement of which modifies the vertical position and the inclination of a plate 3| to which they are connected by ball-socket devices 32 and 32a, said plate 3| being pivotally and slidably mounted on said shaft and provided with an outer ball-bearingv 33.` outwardly with respect to this ballbearing is -iixed a cage 34 comprising as many balls 35, 35a as there Iare arms in the rotor. The ends of the swingable levers 36, 36a engage a plate 3l through balls 35, 35a. The other ends of swingable levers 3B, 36a are connected by ballsocket devices 38, 36a to sleeves 39, 39a slidable on the secondary shaft, which through ball bearings 4D, En transfers to links 4|, 4Ia connected to the planes a2, 42a the motion originated by the pilot.

The connecting rods 30, 39a located in the recessed shaft of the rotor are in turn controlled through a scissor device providing for the possibility of suitably actuating, with only one iiXed point, the planes 42, 42a by the longitudinal and transverse movements of the joy-stick, Said scissor device comprises a first bell crank 44 the vertex of which is articulated on a fixed point 45 and one end 45 of which is connected to an operative rod fil actuated. by the joy-stick. On the other end t3 of said bell crank 44, linked to the connecting rod 30, is articulated the vertex of a second bell crank 50 the ends 5I and 52 of which are respectively linked to an operative rod 53 actuated by the joy-stick and to the connecting rod 30a. By pivoting the first bell crank 44 around 45, connecting rods 30 and 30a induce a translation of the plate 3l, while the pivoting of the second bell crank 5B around 48 modies the inclination of said plate.

A similar transmission may 'be used to vary the angle of incidence of shutters and, consequently, their lift and their drag. Another system comprises an hydraulic transmission between the joy-stick and the inner plate of the rotors.

A third system comprises the use of cables in a iiexible or rigid sheath. Lastly, the connection between the inner plate of the rotor and the connecting link 0f the planes may be eiected by a rack, pinions shafts, pinion and rack providing an abutment that protects the shaft from the effect of centrifugal force.

As previously explained, the speed of rotation of the wing structurel is determined by the cyclical variation of the incidence when the wing-elements are displaced from A to B and from B to A (Fig. l) consequently a reduction of said variation induces a decreasing of said speed of rotation. When the incidences from A to B and from B to A are equal. the wing structure will cease to rotate.

The machine will be provided with an undercarriage the damping stroke of which greater than the damping stroke of normal ..indercarriages and in general will be provided with up-todate improvements, such as tripod landing gear retractable wheels, wheel-brakes, etc., and especially with adjustable pitch screws or with a speed change device between the engine and the screw.

There may be provided a single control wherein the backward stroke of the joy-stick controls self rotation, While the reverse stroke reduces or stops the same, or a system wherein self rotation is independently controlled and regulated.

This latter system facilitates the use oi an adjustable angle of incidence for the wing structiue so as to control the longitudinal balance of the machine as in the case of autogyros of the type La Cierva, for in the rst case comprising single control it is necessary to provide an elevator with its control, said control being connected or not with the rotation control, or at any rate to provide for the possibility of a correction to be made in .'10 flight in the respective position of both those controls with respect to the joy-stick.

In order to minimize the eects of gusts of 1 wind or a gale on the rotors, the rotation shaft thereof may, instead of being rigidly secured to the framework or the fuselage of the machine, be pivotally mounted about a horizontal shaft parallel to the longitudinal axisof the machine. This device allows of direct warping by the planes of the rotor. Y

To take up the gust of wind in longitudinal direction said shaft of the vrotors may be pivoted about a transverse horizontal axis which also will allow of altering the general angle of incidence of the plane swept by the rotor. l

Adjustment of the angle of incidence of the rotor plane provides for the following possibilities:

1. In the event of the use of a single rotor, there may be used the most satisfactory angle with respect to the type of displacement of the machine, especially in the event of climbing under a great angle. Such action-permits of altering the inclination of the-plane of rotation with respect to the directionv of pull of the tractor'screw.` It also constitutes a means of compensating for the rotation torque about the longitudinal axis.

2. In the event of two rotors, such action constitutes a means for suppressing warping by altering the angle of incidence of the rotating planes, such variation tending to modify the rate of rotation.

In the event of such use for warping or for control of ascending and descending flight, the joy-stick will directly control the changes of position by a leverage system, while the control of self-rotation and of the angle of incidence of the rotating planes will be independent and actuated by small fly wheels.

The shaft supporting each rotor and more particularly in the case of the use of a single rotor, will therefore be mounted through an universal joint so as to be capable of assuming all inclinations. .The universal joint may be replaced by a ball and socket joint.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an aerodyne, at least one wing structure freely movable under the eiect of a relative wind in circular rotation the plane of which is nearly parallel to the direction of the longitudinal axis of said aerodyne, each of said wing structures comprising a plurality of identical parallel wing elements located in said plane. a frame freely rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the leading edges of said wing elements, an axle parallel to said axis of rotation, carried by said frame at each apex of a regular polygon centered upon said axis of rotation and adapted to carry the corresponding wing element close to the center of thrust thereof in rotating relation with respect to said frame, means for maintaining the leading edges of said wing elements parallel to each other during said circular rotation, means for cyclically varying the incidence of said wing elements so that said relative wind pushes back the rotating elements having the higher incidence, means for generating said relative wind and said cyclically varying means being adjustable to a neutral position wherein no variation of incidence exists between the plurality of wing elements and the wing structure Will cease to rotate.

2. An aerodyne, according to claim 1, wherein the means for generating a relative wind comprises for each wing structure blowing means for blowing a uid on said Wing structure.

3. An aerodyne, according to claim 1, wherein the means for generating a relative wind cornprises, for each wing structure, a tractor propeller disposed in front of said Wing structure and 01T- set in such a Way that the slipstream will more especially make itself felt in the areas of the Wing elements which present a high angle of incidence.

4. An aerodyne, according to claim 1, wherein the means for maintaining the parallellism of the leading edges comprises kinematic means connected to a fixed part of the aerodyne for rotating the wing elements about the respective axles thereof in a direction opposite to the rotation of the corresponding frame and at the same speed thereto.

5. An aerodyne, according to claim 1, wherein the means for generating cyclical variation of the angle of incidence of the wing elements Comprises. for each wing, a pivot parallel to its leading edge carried by the frame and kinematic means adapted to vary the angle of incidence of each wing by pivoting said wing about the corresponding pivot in such a way that said wing element is positioned parallel to the air ow resultant of the relative wind and of the speed vertical component.

6. An aerodyne, according to claim 1, comprising two wing structures the frames of which are adapted to rotate in reverse direction relative to each other.

7. An aerodyne, according to claim 1, wherein each wing structure comprises three Wings carried by the corresponding frame at the apices of an equilateral triangle.

JEAN PIERRE DRAPIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,264,712 Tweed Apr. 30, 1918 1,824,195 Chillingworth Sept. 22, 1931 1,957,813 Wilford May 8. 1934 2,380,582 Cierva July 31, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 401,649 France Aug. 2, 1909 684,406 Germany Nov. 29, 1939 764,006 France Feb. 26, 1934 

